Nevada Information Related to the American Recovery and Re investment Act of 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) signed into law by President Obama on February 17^th, 2009 includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need. This website contains ARRA funding information provided by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP)

Truckee Meadows Water Authority - Highland Flume Bypass Project

Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) is a not-for-profit, community-owned water utility, overseen by elected officials and citizen appointees from Reno, Sparks and Washoe County. The water system serves a population of approximately 330,000 in Washoe County, Nevada.

The Highland Canal is used to convey water diverted from the Truckee River by the Washoe Dam for irrigation and municipal water supply. In April 2008, an earthquake destroyed the wooden flume section of the canal adjacent to the Mogul subdivision west of Reno, Nevada. Built by Chinese laborers in the 1800s, the wooden flumes have been restored throughout the years. Due to extreme terrain and proximity to residential structures, repairing the flume is not considered a viable option. The project is a combination of concrete channel and siphon to convey raw water from the Truckee River to the Chalk Bluff Water Treatment Plant. The project will allow TMWA to eliminate an approximate 2-mile section of flume and unlined canal. The immediate area and entire region will receive economic, environmental and public safety benefits from the bypass project. Since this project will result in significant energy and water savings, it qualifies as "green" under ARRA.

The total project cost is estimated to be $13,155,000 with $2,000,000 provided in SRF zero interest ARRA loan.

PROJECT PROGRESS

Tracking of funds for projects funded through the DWSRF ARRA program is available on the NDEP Recovery Home page under the pdf file "Current List of Funded Projects."

See news coverage of the project in the local paper The Reno Gazette Journal (click here) - "$14 million water bypass proceeds in Mogul"

Photos of the project are included below. Readers note: Place your cursor on the individual images to see a description. Click on the individual images to enlarge - note that the enlarged image will open in a new window.